Tim Kaine on Crime

Democratic Governor (VA)

Supports Project Exile’s longer mandatory sentences

Richmond’s success in reducing violent crime was built in part on Project Exile. Project Exile is based on a strong working relationship among federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to maximize the punishment of criminals who commit
crimes with guns.

Criminals quickly learned to fear Project Exile’s longer mandatory sentences. The program helped cut our violent crime rate in half. Project Exile won the support of law enforcement nationwide and received bipartisan approval from
Presidents Clinton and Bush as well as the National Rifle Association and gun safety groups. Governor Gilmore expanded the program to the entire state in 1998. It has now been copied by cities and states all around the nation.
One of Tim Kaine’s proudest possessions is the award given to Richmond for Project Exile by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Source: Campaign website www.kaine2005.org, “Issues”
, Nov 8, 2005

Moratorium on the death penalty until it is fair

I support a moratorium on the death penalty. The history of the death penalty in Virginia is rife with examples of people being imprisoned for years, who were innocent.

As an example, for many years, rape was a capital crime in Virginia. But when the history of execution of rape was analyzed, it became clear that rape was only a capital crime if you were African-American. That was wrong.

[As another example], most people who are on death row are poor and cannot afford their own attorneys.

Until such a time that the death penalty works fairly and doesn’t single people out by race or because of income or other invidious characteristics, there should be a moratorium on the death penalty in Virginia